


When I Catch My Breath It's You I Breathe

by chucknovak



Category: IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Dancing, Drinking, Fluff, M/M, Pining, iconic pop songs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 07:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17340797
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chucknovak/pseuds/chucknovak
Summary: Mike and Richie dance to pop songs together while drunk at a club, and Richie thinks that Mike Wheeler just might be the cutest person to ever exist.





	When I Catch My Breath It's You I Breathe

Mike was cute as hell when he was drunk. His eyes got all shiny, his cheeks turned bright pink, and his hair, normally very neat, got a little mussed, a little frizzier than normal. Richie loved watching his reactions to things, the way his eyebrows drew together in confusion, the way his mouth would hang open as he contemplated something. He zoned out a lot, just studying something intently, like it had the answer to whatever question had his brow furrowed like that. Right now he and Richie were sitting across from each other at a booth table at a club they liked to go to, with Max, Lucas, Bev, and Stan squeezed into the booth as well. Richie wasn’t really listening to the conversation, as he was far more engrossed in watching Mike’s face, the alcohol running through his own blood making him care a lot less about being caught staring. He giggled when Mike’s head snapped up suddenly, his deep brown eyes immediately locking with Richie’s. “ _Richie,”_ he breathed, reaching his hand across the table and grabbing Richie’s. “You have to dance with me to this song.” He said it like it was the direst thing in the world, and who was Richie to deny a friend in need?

“Love me some Whitney,” Richie grinned as he began to recognize the song. His heart flew into his throat as Mike beamed at him, standing up and pulling him from the table. Richie happily let Mike lead him to the dancefloor.

They found a space where they fit just as the bridge into the chorus began. Suddenly both of Richie’s hands were in Mike’s, and Richie’s mind got lost in how soft his palms were for a second, how desperately Mike’s fingers wrapped around his own. He smiled so big he thought his cheeks should probably hurt when Mike threw his head back, still gripping onto Richie’s hands, and proclaimed into the multicolored air of the club, “ _Oh, I wanna dance with somebody!_ ” Richie giggled when Mike started jumping and joined in, the two of them more flailing their bodies together than dancing as they shouted the lyrics of the chorus in unison. Richie’s heart skipped at the way Mike looked at him as he sang “ _with somebody who loves me_.”

Richie loved dancing with Mike like this. He loved feeling Mike’s hands on his arms, so soft and warm and holding onto him like a life preserver. He loved the way Mike would fall into him and giggle. He loved how into the music Mike got, how passionately he screamed lyrics that he would probably pretend not to know if he was sober. Richie wished that he could feel comfortable doing this sober, that he didn’t have to drink alcohol to place his hand this gently on Mike’s waist. He wished that Mike could smile at him like that without vodka. He sometimes thought he saw a similar expression in his eyes, but any time he thought he saw it Mike would look away.

But it was hard for Richie to be sad about any of that when Mike’s eyes got all wide with excitement. “Oh my god!” he screamed to Richie over the music, leaning his body against Richie’s. “This is the best song ever!” Richie smiled in fond amusement, knowing well that drunk Mike said that about every song he liked. He let out a genuine laugh as Mike started head banging to the 2001 pop hit as the chorus came around. “ _You’re everywhere to me! And when I close my eyes it’s you I see!”_ He caressed Richie’s cheek with a goofy, blissed out smile on his face. The touch was gentle and playful, but it still made a fire burn under Richie’s skin. He found himself just smiling down at Mike, unable to hide how much he loved him. Mike grabbed dramatically at the front of Richie’s shirt as he sang, “ _You’re everything I know that makes me believe I’m not alone! I’m not alone!”_ Richie laughed again and pulled Mike against him, just wrapping him in his arms and swaying them from side to side. Mike sang the verse just as passionately in his ear, messing up about a third of the words but never faltering in enthusiasm. Richie kissed Mike’s hair without thinking. If he had looked up he would have found their friends watching on with knowing smiles - but he didn’t look up, he was way too lost in the way Mike clung to him and swayed slightly in his arms. Richie nuzzled his face further into Mike’s hair, and Mike pulled away just far enough to give Richie the most awed, genuine smile he’d ever seen. He allowed himself to stroke Mike’s cheek, but he knew he didn’t want to kiss him just then; he didn’t want their first kiss to be driven by alcohol.

Luckily, Mike started jumping around again as soon as the chorus came back around, effectively preventing Richie from kissing him too soon. Richie watched on, thrilled to just have Mike in his life. He pictured doing this together in a small apartment, imagined kissing his lips and his cheeks and his neck as he picked him up and spun him around a kitchen or living room.

“Richie! Oh my god, the key change is coming!” Mike announced, as though he was a toddler about to see Santa. Richie beamed and joined in his enthusiasm, shouting the lyrics just as loud, both of them still wrapped up in each other. Richie let Mike twirl him around, stumbling into Mike’s arms on account of the alcohol - and Richie’s own general clumsiness. He looked into Mike’s deep eyes, the purple and pink lights reflecting off of them and making them seem to glow, his breath just barely brushing against Richie’s skin, and Richie realized he just might be in love with Mike Wheeler. And as Mike’s nose brushed against his own as they laughed together, Richie also realized that he couldn’t wait to tell him. (Well, he could wait until they were both sober, but not a second longer.)


End file.
